Cold Hollow (Cold Hollow Mysteries Book 1) (10 page)

The inmates had been part of an experimental integration prison. The women and men lived in separate wings. They were integrated during trade classes. The classes were to help them prepare to reenter society. Everyone in the town had been in that prison, and Nazar had been the warden. Nazar’s full signature was at the bottom of each page. When Angus noticed his first name, he let a single chuckle slip.

As Angus read further, he found a signed document from his boss at the ski resort. He was a commissioner for the prison system, and had recommended Angus for the marketing promotion so that his family would be the first to integrate with the parolees.

Angus began to shake in anger and lost track of time as he rifled through more documents. He felt betrayed, deceived, and scared, all in one tidy package. His varied emotions roiled within his gut.

There were brutal rapists among the lot, most notably Ranger Bullock. His brother, the police officer, had been implicated in the crime but had gotten off on a technicality. There were murderers—the Carlisle sisters, who had killed their own parents. There were thieves as well, namely Artie Lavoie, and Dominick the town locksmith. Angus scoffed at the fact that they had all been previously placed in a minimum-security prison. Some of them should have been placed in a maximum security prison and never paroled. It had to be a joke.

Ray Borges had been a drunken driver who killed a woman by accident. He met his wife Amanda after being paroled. She had been incarcerated for forgery, but at least Angus knew that Daryl and Donnie Borges were clean.

The Dumont couple was notorious for kidnapping children. From what he read, they couldn’t have any of their own and loved nothing more than children. They never harmed them, just stole them and tried to force them into their family.

Then he saw Doctor Tom’s file. That poor bastard. He had taken out the wrong patient’s liver for transplant, with death resulting. Upon closer inspection, Angus saw that there had been a confusion of electronic medical records, and he was only following the surgical schedule. A mistake, a simple mistake. The man was so nice and caring that Angus couldn’t see him doing anything like that on purpose. He hoped the good doctor wrote out all of his medical records now for his private practice and didn’t rely on computers anymore.

Then there was Myrna…abandoned by abusive drug-addict parents and left on the street by her parents at the tender age of ten. She lived the only way she knew how—by lying, cheating, stealing, and protecting herself, until she was finally caught at the age of eighteen for grand larceny. She was also charged with assault and battery for beating the tar out of one of the arresting officers.

She had done well in prison with a structured routine and took courses to become a master seamstress. When she was released to the town to learn how to meld with society again, she met Bob and thought she’d finally found true happiness, only to end up in the same abusive predicament. They were all offered a chance at early release if they signed agreements to live in Cold Hollow until their entire parole term was up.

Angus rubbed his face. Myrna had suffered for ten years married to an oaf and finally started fighting back again. He thought highly of her for that, but it was the others that worried him. He had only been through a handful of folders, and there were many others.

He noticed an elasticized batch of folders labeled “Rejects” and presumed that they had met a nasty end, or were incarcerated elsewhere. He really didn’t want to know. What he did know was the town was an experiment of sorts for the Department of Corrections. A government grant had been provided to fund the project. It had been in progress at least ten years by his count, and it seemed that his family was the only one living there that didn’t have a criminal record. They too were an experiment. Angus felt like the brunt of a very disgusting joke.

He sat back and ran his fingers through his short hair as he realized Cold Hollow was a holding tank for prisoners on parole until they fulfilled their entire sentence. In a sense, the town itself was another form of prison, with Nazar doubling as warden
and
parole officer. Angus believed that Nazar could no longer differentiate between inmates and civilians. He had the problem, not the parolees. He thought that Nazar and his cronies wanted to see how ordinary citizens melded with the inmates, and vice versa.

Angus remembered reading somewhere that newly released inmates often had trouble reentering society, and he surmised Cold Hollow was a new way to help them adjust. However, something did not ring true. Nazar had taken some matters into his own hands and was instituting regulations that normal society never would have tolerated. Normal society would have insisted on
voting
a new leader into power every four years. Normal society also would not have tolerated being monitored around the clock, and they most assuredly would not have tolerated anything as insane as the till bill or living fee, never mind the ludicrous summons to the town hall each month.

He found himself so enthralled with what he was reading that he lost track of time. He had been there well over an hour. Angus snapped some pictures of the remaining documents with his cell phone as his mind raced. Afterward, he pulled himself out of the chair, replaced the piles of files exactly as he had found them, and left the office. He relocked it and made his way back down the stairs to the fresh air. He took some deep breaths, ran his hands through his hair again, and steadied his nerves. He relocked the back door and made his way down the side streets and back to his vehicle.

***

Sophia watched her husband sit in his vehicle for the longest time before coming inside the house. She saw the light coming from his cell phone inside his car. Each nerve ending in her body was shredded. Her hands kept trembling, and she had to make fists and release them again in order to relax. She was so worried about their predicament. She hoped it was only Angus’s vivid imagination and that it ended up being nothing. However, she had known him a long time, and his intuition rarely failed him.

***

Nazar entered his office after a hefty meal and a meeting with some of the commissioners from the Department of Corrections. They approved of his recent attempt to meld ordinary citizens into his town to see how the parolees mingled with them, and were pleased to find out that it had worked so far.

He sat at his desk and raised his nose to the air. He smelled cologne. It wasn’t his cologne. He lifted his jacket to his nose to see if he had inadvertently picked up a scent from one of the commissioners, and found he hadn’t. He stood and made his way around the office, sniffing. He went back to his desk and noticed the scent was the strongest there. He looked at his stacks of files and saw they had been moved—by only a centimeter, if that. Nazar was obsessive-compulsive, and he knew when someone had been in his office.

He sat in his chair and turned around to look out his massive window. He stared at the bakery across the street and frowned. He had to do something about this. He had no ideas at this moment. He was stuck taking care of the commissioners until morning. He turned slightly and flipped on the town monitors. He paid particular attention to the Barner household.

Commissioner Jones owned a big slice of the ski resorts and had personally recommended the Barner family for the experiment, but now Nazar was starting to question the man’s judgment. Most of the commissioners had investments in other businesses, but Cold Hollow was Nazar’s investment. If the commissioners did it, why couldn’t he? The till money would see him through retirement and beyond. Nazar had earned it. He worked for the Department of Corrections his entire life and struggled up the ladder to success. He was not going to let anyone stop him.

As he stared at the monitor, he wondered: what if he wanted to dispose of that family? He couldn’t do it as easily as he had with wayward parolees. There would be questions. He sighed and figured he would take care of one problem at a time.

***

That evening, in bed, Sophia leaned back against the headboard and handed a book to Angus, who sat beside her. He, in turn, handed her a book. They switched on their bedside lamps and opened the books to find notes.

They each opened their respective letters and read. From the corner of his eye, Angus could see Sophia shaking. He slid his left hand beneath the covers and patted her thigh. She cleared her throat and continued reading.

Angus read her note about finding a cliff at the trails, the bottom of which was strewn with discarded furniture and personal belongings. She hadn’t seen any human remains, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any beneath the rubble. She said there were photographs down there as well.

Angus reached over, grabbed a pen from his nightstand, and wrote back to her that he would investigate it in the morning. He also saw Sophia writing a response on the back of his note.

When they switched books, Angus saw that she had written,
Get us the hell out of this town, honey!
He took their notes, crumpled them into a tight wad, and slipped them into the pocket of his pajama top. He placed their books on his nightstand and kissed his wife goodnight, and they each shut off their bedside lamps.

Sophia lay in the dark and thought about the town she had grown to love and her bakery. When they had first arrived, it had been like a dream from which she never wanted to awaken. Now it was no more than a nightmare. The once-beautiful town seemed entombed in a dark mist, and that mist had a name. Its name was Nazar.

***

Angus let Sophia sleep. He knew she had tossed and turned most of the night, and thought it would not serve any purpose to wake her up earlier than she already had to. He slipped into his running clothes. The sky was looking as though a tough storm might be heading their way, so he made short work of slipping into his gear and zipping his parka. He pocketed a heavy-duty flashlight and took to the trails. He was familiar with the trail Sophia ran each day and pushed himself faster than he ever had before. He was not supposed to be there that early, according to the signs, but he ignored the ticket machine at the entrance to the trails and blasted forward.

He saw where the trail veered off, took the twisted turn, and turned on the flashlight for the rest of the way. He slowed down, because he was not in a mood to accidentally plummet to his death. A few feet ahead, he saw the flat rock that she had described and rushed to it. He stood and pointed the flashlight downward to see all the refuse she had described. He didn’t see any human limbs poking through any of the furniture. Without any rope on hand, it would be impossible for him to investigate further, but the sight just solidified his hatred for Nazar and his belief in his wife. Angus suddenly felt a strong chill in the air. He zippered his parka all the way up, turned off the flashlight, and headed back down the trail at a clip.

CHAPTER 9

On Monday morning, Angus Barner had called in sick to work. He sat in his SUV with his children and said, “Remember, if anyone asks, we’re going on a shopping spree at the retail outlets in New Hampshire for some early Christmas shopping.” The children looked at their father and nodded.

Sophia got in the car with two small suitcases and her pocketbook. Angus shook his head. “Go to the bakery like you normally do in your own car, but leave the suitcases with us. I’ll pick you up when you close up shop. Don’t forget to take what you will need with you. I only have a few more things to accomplish.”

She nodded and slid back out of her seat. He watched her until she pulled out of their driveway. He turned around and stared at the children. “Act normal in school today. I will pick you up at the usual time and then we’ll pick up your mother. After that, we leave this town.”

Both children were wide-eyed and trembling. Angus reached back and individually squeezed their hands. “Just go about your usual school day. Forget about the rest, until I pick you up.” They nodded once and remained silent for the ride to school.

The day ran smoothly, and while Sophia was at work and the children in school, Angus ran some errands around town, gathered up some nonperishables from their home, and stowed them in his vehicle. He did a sweep of their home to find two hidden cameras and a multitude of listening devices. He squashed them with his foot and threw them in the trash. After making himself a quick sandwich and checking his wallet for cash, he left to go and pick up the children at school. There was a snowstorm brewing, so he wanted to make their exit quick.

***

Myrna noticed that Sophia had been tense at work that day. All of her motions were abrupt, and her replies to questions were short. Myrna asked her if she was feeling well and always got the same response: “I’ll be fine.”

Donnie looked at Myrna and shook his head. As young as he was, he knew something was wrong. That boy worshipped Sophia and would have done anything to brighten her day. During their lunch break, he strummed his banjo and sang her a sweet song, but she just smiled graciously and continued working.

When they locked up the shop that day, Myrna noticed that Sophia had emptied the entire drawer and left nothing for the following morning, which she found odd. What was odder was that Angus picked her up from work with the kids inside his car. They drove off and left Sophia’s car behind. The sun was setting, and strong wind blew in a vicious storm. The snow had started at about two in the afternoon that day and was quickly turning into a nor’easter. It was near blinding. It was going to be bitter and cold that night, not to mention dangerous. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out what was so important that the entire family had to go out in this unforgiving weather. She shook her head and drove home slowly. She passed several vehicles that were arriving in town with loaded ski racks atop their cars. The skiers headed for the local bed and breakfast, located off Main Street, in haste.

***

Nazar sat at his desk and booted up his monitors. The streets could not be seen adequately because of the snowfall. He switched the monitors to individual households, and he was startled to find the Barner home had gone dark. Nothing was on the screen. He gently tapped the side of the monitor to find it would not respond. He turned his chair around and reached for his phone. He made two important calls. The first was to Ranger Bullock and the second was to the ragtag police department, which mainly consisted of steroid-driven prison guards who were a little too eager to work in actual prison systems. They were trigger-happy, testosterone-driven idiots.

***

Angus tried to drive as fast as he could. They had just crossed the bridge when the snow became blinding. The windshield wipers could not keep up. The headlights only illuminated a maximum of ten feet in front of him. He swerved a few times and Sophia begged him to calm down, but she didn’t know what he knew. She did not know
everything
about
every
inhabitant of the town. She did not know that some of them were not rehabilitated at all. He took his foot off the gas pedal and regained control of the vehicle as they made their way down the only road out of town.

They were stopped by flashing lights ahead. Two police cruisers were blocking the road and a third vehicle was parked along the side. Angus narrowed his vision and leaned forward. He felt like screaming when he saw Ranger Bullock and Nazar standing by the third car. The other two cars were manned by the supposed police force of the town. One officer stepped out of each cruiser when they saw the headlights of Angus’s car. They raised their shotguns and aimed at Angus’s vehicle.

Angus hated to say the words, but said them anyway. “The minute I slow this car down, I want you kids to jump out and run like the devil is on your tail. I want you to run to Myrna’s home.”

He looked at Sophia with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, babe. I’m so sorry.”

Sophia’s lower lip began trembling as she placed her hand over his. “It’s not your fault.” She turned to the children. “You do what your father tells you. Run as fast as you can and don’t look back.” They both began weeping, but Layla took Liam’s hand in hers and promised to do her best.

Angus slowed the car down and Sophia yelled, “Run, now!” She said a silent prayer that her children would make it to safety.

The children jumped out of the side doors on either side of the vehicle and Angus watched them in the rearview mirror as they dropped, rolled, and leapt from the ground and ran into the blinding storm toward town.

When he heard a shotgun blast, he screamed. He screamed and he didn’t stop screaming, even as he was pulled from his car.

***

Layla Barner could barely see her little brother with the wind whipping the snow around, but she thought she saw his shadow up ahead. She was jamming the paperback book she had been reading down the front of her parka so she would be free to pump her arms and catch up with Liam, when something punched her in the back. It hurt. When she looked down, she saw blood spray all over the front of her new parka and bits and pieces of her book floating around the air with the snow. She felt like she was floating with them. She fell forward and lay in the road. Her last thought was that the library was going to charge her for the loss of a book. With her last breath, she closed her eyes.

***

A foul-smelling police officer stuck his head inside the vehicle. With swiftness, he reached in and jerked the lever of the SUV into park. Another officer yanked Sophia from the passenger’s seat. She didn’t go easy. Angus saw her kicking, punching, and screaming with all of her might.

Angus did not care if the police officer had a gun or not. He swung his right fist with all his might the moment his feet hit the snowy ground. He didn’t care if he died. He heard the shotgun blast go off and knew that one of his children was possibly dead or dying in the snow. By the looks of it, Sophia knew the same thing. She was roaring incoherently to the sky as Ranger Bullock restrained her. It took the two police officers to restrain Angus.

Angus craned his neck to try to see behind his vehicle for any sign of life, but he saw nothing but blinding white snow. He turned his face to Nazar and spat bloody spittle into the snow. “You fucking murderer!”

Nazar approached him, the hood of his riding jacket up over his head. He poked Angus’s shoulder with his forefinger. “You fucking snoop! The two of you couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?” He turned to the officers. “When this is over make it look like the vehicle had a blowout and spun out of control.” Angus watched the two officers nod in compliance. Angus and Sophia were then escorted into the woods beside the road.

***

Little Liam Barner ran, and when he was tired, he ran a little more. He kept looking over his shoulder for his sister, but he could not see her.

However, he could see the little bridge up ahead. It was the mighty source of his nightmares. He kept telling himself that the bridge trolls were sleeping in the snow under the bridge. He didn’t think bridge trolls liked winter; they were probably hibernating. That was what he told himself as he took his first shaky footstep onto the bridge. He told himself to be more like his dad, fearless, and he took another step. He then told himself to be more like his sister and to be smart. So he did, he took another step in the middle of the bridge, where it would be harder for the bridge trolls to snatch him if they weren’t hibernating. He then told himself to be more like his mother—swift of foot. So he ran the rest of the length of the bridge with great speed. When he neared the end of it, he slipped and fell, but soon regained his footing, dusted off his parka, and kept moving toward town. He was so tired, and all he wanted was his father to show up, pick him up, and help him a little bit. His little legs were aching, and his eyes were wide in panic. He was scared too. Liam had never been so scared in his life.

He kept to the side of the road and followed the tree line, just as his father had told him. As long as he could see the road, he was heading in the right direction. When he hit town, he maneuvered the streets and tried to remember his way to Aunt Myrna’s. He knew it wasn’t far from the bakery, so he went there first. He stared inside the store windows and saw it was dark inside. Aunt Myrna must have left early because of the snowstorm.

His lower lip trembled and a few tears leaked down his face, only to freeze the moment they reached his cheeks. He steadied himself, formed fists of his tiny hands, and began looking around. He remembered the right streets and trudged through the drifting snowbanks. Before long, he was knocking on Myrna’s door. He was freezing cold, shaking, and crying. His eyelashes and eyebrows were caked with frozen snow and tears. He couldn’t feel his fingers or toes anymore and hoped they hadn’t cracked and fallen off. When Doctor Tom answered the door, little Liam screamed and cried. He did not stop crying for about an hour or so.

***

Sophia Barner was gagged and tied to a tall oak tree. Her arms were pulled back and her wrists were bound behind the tree trunk, as were each of her ankles. Angus watched as Ranger Bullock went to his vehicle and came back with a chainsaw. Angus tried to free himself from the two police officers that held him in place. One of them even forcibly raised his chin so he could witness his wife’s demise.

Nazar approached Sophia and smiled. He traced his forefinger down her wet cheek and said, “How you answer the next question will decide which angle the fine ranger here”—he motioned to Ranger Bullock—“cuts into the tree. You see, my dear, if he cuts it straight across above your head, you just
might
live. If he cuts it low behind your knees
and
at an angle, well…you’re a smart girl; I think you know what will happen.”

Sophia’s eyes went wide as she stared at Angus. He stood helpless in the snowstorm, freezing cold, and trembling in anger. His neck veins were distended, and he was still struggling with the two burly policemen. Tears streamed from her eyes as Nazar asked, “Now, is my bitchy little baker going to behave from this day onward, or do I need to teach you a final lesson about following the town rules?”

Angus screamed, “We are not parolees! You sick fuck!”

Nazar swung toward him and grinned, but it was devilish. “Oh! So it
was
you who broke into my office! Ah, well that settles it.” He turned back to Ranger Bullock and gave him the signal to cut the tree. “Angus, you have just denied your wife a chance to live.”

Sophia spoke around the gag as she looked at Angus with adoration. “I love you, Angus.” Her words were garbled, but Angus understood them.

He swallowed and nodded. “Guess what, Sophia? Nazar’s first name is Nancy! I found it in the documents he signed! When he was born, his parents didn’t know if the baby was a girl or a boy!”

He watched Sophia’s eyes go wide as she looked at Nazar. She knew Angus was not lying by Nazar’s expression. His lips were in a thin line, and he glared at Angus with nothing short of hatred. She began laughing hysterically and snorted her guffaws through her nose more than once. Tears of heartache, hysteria, and hard laughter streamed down her face to plop to the ground and freeze. Her nose was running, but she didn’t care. Angus had gotten the last jab at Nazar, and that made her proud.

Angus stood, grateful that he could make Sophia smile one last time. He said, “I love you, Sophia. I love you more than you could know.”

The sound of the chainsaw buzzing through the wood drowned out anything else he might have said to her. She saw his lips moving, but heard nothing. Despite the snowstorm, she felt sweat dripping from her forehead. Her entire body trembled in fear and her heartbeat thudded in her chest as she felt the vibrations from the chainsaw tearing through the tree trunk behind her. She felt her bladder let go, and closed her eyes in silent prayer.

Memories raced through her mind of Angus and their children, and she prayed to God to spare them, because she knew there would be no saving her. The vibrations of the chainsaw rattled her to the core, and she knew it was the end when she felt the blade of the saw bite into her jacket.